Rangers Never Quit
by M.L. Shards
Summary: Spoilers for Once a Ranger Part 1. The new team explains you don't have to be a ranger to be a part of Operation Overdrive.


SPOILERS: For Once a Ranger Part 1. If you haven't seen it and don't want it spoiled, don't read.

* * *

Kira watched as the rangers fled up the stairs and to their rooms leaving Mack sitting on the couch, head rested against the arm rest. His eyes closed and he inhaled and exhaled forcefully. He looked pained, like he had been punched in the gut.

She felt awful.

"Hey," she said softly sitting on the edge of the couch making careful for avoid sitting on the former ranger's head while she studied him carefully, "are you all right?"

"We quit."

She tugged on a stray piece of hair and flipped it back "Quit huh? What?"

"Operation Overdrive."

She nodded unsurprised, "But you didn't want to…" Mack shook his head.

"They did." He explained blinking rapidly turning his head towards the stairs.

"So you did."

He nodded.

She snorted, "You all just gave up?"

"Dad says it's hopeless to repair the-"

"Shut up Mack." He froze, tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes, "You gave up, rangers don't give up."

He shook his head and closed his eyes again, "I'm not a ranger, I wasn't supposed to be in the first place."

She placed her hand on his shoulder and stroked it with her thumb, "That's it? You're insecure?"

"Operation Overdrive was recruited, except me… I stole the tracker, I-I suppose this is a fitting way to end. I don't even have the leadership abilities to keep my own team together…" he trailed off sadly and Kira rolled her eyes.

"Mack, your team is frustrated. You have the Fearcats, Kamdor, Miratrix, Flurrious, Moltor, and Thrax after you. They all attacked at once, you weren't expected to defeat them…"

"I let them down." Mack continued defeated. "I asked them to stay and they just want to leave…" he choked back a sob, "earlier we were talking about how we barely remembered our lives before Operations Overdrive and now… now you guys are Operation Overdrive. I'm no one."

"God you sound like Conner." She groaned as Tori entered the room carrying a magazine wedged between her body and arm.

"That's never a good thing." Tori smirked. Her face fell as she saw the state Mack was in, "What's wrong?"

"They quit."

Tori shook her head, "Rangers don't quit."

"These ones do." Kira said looking at Mack pointedly, "Look, maybe you being a ranger wasn't planned, it wasn't for me or Tori either."

"I had a prophecy…"

"You know what I mean. Anyways, you're a good leader, them breaking apart is not your fault in any way. Once a ranger always a ranger Mack, that's not some catchy slogan, it's life. You'll understand it soon enough."

Mack shifted slightly, "Who's Conner?" he asked wiping the stray tears off of his face.

Kira smiled, "Red Dino Ranger, idiot jock to begin with, tried to quit the team on numerous times but always decided against it. He had a good heart, not necessarily a great head. He felt like he was weighing the team down when he was doing anything but."

"And the moral of this story is?"

"He had more power ups than any red ranger has ever had."

"Oh."

Tori let out a sigh, "You know, on my team, we always had friction. Cam, our tech guy wasn't allowed to be a ranger because his father wouldn't let him." Mack smiled weakly, that sounded familiar. "He did everything we didn't. He helped with Zords and technology and keeping our identities safe… Mack, what do you think your father does for Operation Overdrive?"

"Everything," Mack sighed.

"Does he have magical abilities to fly and such?" Kira asked.

"No…"

Tori and Kira smiled, "Then why don't you think you can be useful without the ability to morph?" Tori pointed out.

Mack opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again. Wait a second… they were right! His father never had a chance to use the tracker and he'd been through so much. He'd built the Zords, handled PR, paperwork, and so much more that he'd taken for granted. He'd never thought of that before.

"You'll get your powers back, Adam's working on it, but for now, there's a lot you can do to help us out."

Kira smiled and grabbed onto Mack's left arm and Tori put down her magazine to grab his right one, "For one thing, you can show us around this place, it's huge!"

They led him partially towards the door before Tori abruptly stopped.

She sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose "What's that smell?" she asked as Xander and Bridge raced out of the kitchen as they were chased by Spencer with a frying pan. The Green Mystic Ranger and Red SPD Ranger dove behind Mack and peeked out from either side of him.

"Magic and toast do not mix." Bridge informed them simply as Spencer simply glared then turned back into the kitchen where it was getting visibly smoky. Xander nodded in confirmation.

"Very bad combination."

Mack stared at them incredulously. Kira forced a smile.

"See? You can stop the place from burning down." She suggested.

"That's an important job," Xander enforced, "trees are quite flammable… and… uh… you could protect us from you're butler."

"And help me make toast. I don't know how to work these antique things…" Bridge sighed.

"Or fly me somewhere to practice my surfing. And I'm sure your hand to hand combat would be useful against foot soldiers if you really want to fight."

"Help maintain the Zords and send them to used when we need them." Came Bridge's second suggestion, "it sucks, but helps us out immensely."

"Juggle chainsaws to entertain us." The rangers stared at Xander as if he'd grown a second head. "Well I think it would be entertaining…"

"Research."

"Background info, you guys fought these baddies long enough to know a bit about them. The others will come around at their own pace, rangers never quit."

"See? There are lots of things to do and way for you to be useful." Kira said patting him on the arm.

"Like taking us for lunch would be useful." Bridge said wincing as a crash was heard from the kitchen and a loud grumble from Spencer followed.

Mack frowned, "What did you do to the kitchen?"

Bridge looked at Mack and in a deadpanned expression replied, "You don't want to know."

"Rangers never quit, remember?" Tori said nudging Mack forwards, "That includes not quitting when it comes to causing mayhem wherever they go. You're going to have your hands full for the next little while."

* * *

Please Review 


End file.
